Great Basin Wildfire Forum

The Search For Solutions

A science-based policy publication aimed at enhancing the Great Basin’s environment.

From the preface…

The primary impetus for this Wildfire Forum is a document authored by John McLain and Sheila Anderson of Resource Concepts, Inc. entitled “Urgent Need for a Scientific Review of the Ecological and Management History of the Great Basin Natural Resources and Recommendations to Achieve Ecosystem Restoration.”

This document urged prominent scientists who have spent their careers studying, observing and working to manage the Great Basin ecosystem to pool their collective knowledge and experience over the last four decades, summarize their studies and provide recommendations to address the critical problems facing the Great Basin.

The response to the call was overwhelming as scientists expressed their willingness to participate, and several private Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and government agencies offered to help. Responding to a request from John McLain, Principal of Resource Concepts, Dr. David Thawley, Director of the Nevada Agricultural Experiment Station (NAES) at the University of Nevada, Reno agreed to host and sponsor a discussion forum and publish the results as an Experiment Station publication.

Dr. Rangesan Narayanan, Associate Dean of Outreach and Professor of Resource Economics, agreed to provide the required leadership to organize the forum and produce an NAES publication. Dr. Elwood Miller, Professor and Associate Director Emeritus, facilitated the forum discussion and participated in writing and editing this publication.

The two-day forum was held September 17–18, 2007 at the University of Nevada, Reno campus. The Nevada Department of Conservation and Natural Resources contributed the time of Mr. Bob Conrad to assist Dr. Narayanan and Dr. Miller with the editing and compilation of this publication.

Seventeen prominent scientists with more than 500 years of combined work experience in the Great Basin were invited to participate. Fourteen scientists participated in the forum, and two participated through correspondence. A limited number of observers from various state and federal agencies were invited during the two-day symposium and
participated in question-and-answer sessions.